Chiengi
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Chiengi or is a historic colonial boma of the British Empire in central Africa and today is a settlement in the Luapula Province of Zambia, and headquarters of Chiengi District. Chiengi is in the north-east corner of Lake Mweru, and at the foot of wooded hills dividing that lake from Lake Mweru Wantipa, and overlooking a dambo (marshy plain) stretching northwards from the lake, where the Chiengi rivulet (the origin of the name) flows down from the hills.[1]
History
Pre-colonial history
Chiengi and the area just to its north were ravaged by the
Colonial history
Chiengi boma was established during the race between
However, Leopold sent the
Chiengi Boma was probably the first colonial post in what was to be called North-Eastern Rhodesia (it was still referred to as part of 'Zambezia' at the time), and was one of the most remote outposts of the British Empire, a lonely posting which sent more than one colonial officer mad.[1] For a number of years the boma was removed to the Kalungwishi River, and during this period the Belgian colonial authorities in Pweto, just across the border in DR Congo, controlled the northern end of the lake including the western extremity of Chiengi District, the so-called Lunchinda enclave west of the Lunchinda River. The British then re-established the boma at Chiengi but the eventual outcome of de facto Belgian control of the Lunchinda enclave led to it eventually being ceded to DR Congo by Zambia—see the article on the Luapula Province border dispute.
Chiengi Boma was finally closed in 1933 and superseded by Kawambwa and then Nchelenge bomas.[1]
In addition to fishing in the lake, the chief trade of Chiengi in colonial times was in salt, which had been deposited in the dambo by streams running out of the hills, and there was a thriving trade.[1]
History since
Chiengi was restored as a sub-administrative administrative centre under
Roads
Chiengi is reached by a gravel road, frequently impassable in the rainy season, from Nchelenge and Kashikishi 100 kilometres (62 mi) south (the same journey can be done by boat). From Chiengi a dirt track runs along the flat northern lake shore to Pweto in DR Congo. A new gravel road has been constructed north-east to the border, around the Chipani Swamp and east to Kasongola from where (in the dry season) tracks connect to Kaputa in Zambia's Northern Province.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Mr Justice J B Thomson: "Memories of Abandoned Bomas No. 8: Chiengi" Archived 2018-07-08 at the Wayback Machine. Northern Rhodesia Journal, Vol II, No. 6, pp67−77 (1954).
- ^ BRE/SHAREII/USAID: Bwile CHiefdom Strategic Development Plan, 2013-2017, Lusaka. pp8
- ^ Times of Zambia online. Archived 2007-04-20 at the Wayback Machine Website accessed 22 April 2007.
- ^ The Times of Zambia online: "Chienge district still lagging behind" by Austin Kalumba Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Website accessed 22 April 2007. Quote: "The major hindrance has been the bad road which can only be likened to the notorious 1970’s Hell Run."
- ^ "Google Earth". Archived from the original on 2010-09-08. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
- General Reference
- Terracarta/International Travel Maps, Vancouver Canada: "Zambia, 2nd edition", 2000